Homecoming
by WhatTheWhat14
Summary: Holly's focused on her career and chasing her dreams, but something is missing from her seemingly picture-perfect life in San Francisco.
1. Chapter 1

It had been almost an entire year. Ten months and six days, to be exact. In that amount of time she had moved approximately 2,600 miles to chase her dreams of being a Chief Medical Examiner. She had met a group of friends who made her laugh and accepted her into their already established social circles, and explored an incredible city that, if she was honest with herself, she had fallen in love with. She loved how diverse San Francisco was and how the temperature always managed to be moderate instead of the extremes of Toronto. The wine from the nearby Napa Valley didn't hurt, either.

When she stepped back and considered all of these particular things, she was content and had every reason to be. She was a young, intelligent forensic pathologist who was in a position that most of her colleagues could only dream of.

All of these things, however, couldn't fill the void left behind by a certain snarky police officer. While Holly tried to push the memory of Gail Peck away and out of her mind on a daily basis, she couldn't help the tug the woman still had on her heart strings, even 10 months and six days later. These new friends of hers, who she had become close with, had tried endlessly to set her up on dates and Holly always obliged, toying with the idea that someone might be able to take her mind away from the one person who stole her heart back in Toronto. Each person she dated, however, failed to make her feel the way Gail did. Each person failed to make Holly feel as alive as she did when she was with Gail. Through their own ups and downs in the brief amount of time that they were together, Gail made Holly feel like a whole person and without her in San Francisco, she felt like something was still missing from a seemingly perfect picture.

She had been back to Toronto once, about two months after she started her job in San Francisco. It had been a rash decision to buy the airline ticket and fly overnight to the other side of the continent, but everything in her needed to see Gail. She needed to feel her in her arms and feel the warmth the other woman gave her. It wasn't enough to have their Skype dates, to talk on the phone or text during the day. Holly had a physical, tactile _need_ to be with Gail, and so she found herself outside the officer's apartment at three in the morning her time, six in the morning Toronto time. She was exhausted after not sleeping on the plane,which she blamed on her nerves, and now that she had reached her destination, she was frozen in place. She didn't know what to do, how to open the door, and most importantly, what to say to the woman she was in love with.

Before she could think too much longer about how to approach the apartment complex before her, the blonde figure appeared at the front door and froze as soon as she turned and saw Holly standing on the sidewalk.

"Holly…?" she whispered, still frozen in place and trying to comprehend what was happening. "What are you...what are you doing here?" Holly was frozen too. Her mouth opened, but she couldn't formulate words. In all honesty, she didn't really know what she was doing there.

"I...I don't really…I just...well...uh..." she was still failing at forming coherent sentences, captivated by Gail's beauty, and marveling at it in person.

"Are you okay? Did something happen? Oh my god, did something happen at work? Wait, Holly please tell me you're okay and you're not here to tell me you're terminally ill or something because I swear to god, that's not how this is supposed to happen and-" the rambling officer was cut off by Holly's lips meeting hers, capturing her breath and Holly remembered all at once why she had traveled back to her old city.

"I miss you, Gail," she said, cupping the blonde's face and placing another kiss on her lips. "And no, I'm not terminally ill. I just had to go see about a girl." The comment made Gail narrow her eyes, staring back at the beautiful brunette in front of her.

"Did you just quote _Good Will Hunting_?" she asked, pulling back a little to take in every part of Holly. When the brunette just smiled and nodded, Gail rolled her eyes. "You are _such_ a nerd, Holly Stewart."

The memory is quickly interrupted by a loud knock on the doctor's office door. She opens her eyes, realizing how fast her heart is racing and tries to get herself together and collect her thoughts.

"It's open," she says, and sees John Simmons, the chief of the San Francisco Police Department, poke his head through the door with a smile. "Oh, Chief Simmons! Good morning," she says, smiling and getting up to shake his hand.

"Good morning, Dr. Stewart. Oh, no need to get up! I just wanted to see if you had read my email about the conference in Toronto?" he asked, putting his hands on the back of the chairs in front of Holly's desk to brace himself. He was a fairly large man, about 6'3" and almost 225 pounds of solid muscle. As intimidating as he looked, Holly had grown to know him as a dedicated police officer and a loving family man to his three daughters and beautiful wife.

"I did indeed, sir. I was just looking at it," she said, hesitancy clear in her voice. She glanced back at her screen, and tried her best not to think of Gail and all of the memories associated with Toronto.

"I know I speak for the rest of the department when I say we would be thrilled to have you there, Holly. It's late notice, I know but if there's any way you can swing it…" he said, smiling sheepishly. Holly took a deep breath. The chief was right - it was a great opportunity, especially as a Chief Medical Examiner and not just a forensic pathologist. She had been asked to speak about the role of heroin in death and its complications when performing autopsies, something the doctor had become extremely familiar with in a city riddled with a heroin problem. "And Holly, if you want to take a little extra time and see some friends while you're there, that would be more than okay. You've been working your ass off ever since you arrived here. Everyone needs a break, even our rockstar CME." She couldn't help but smile at the charming man, and started to nod her head, pushing her glasses back up the bridge of her nose.

"I'll move some things around my schedule and get myself there. You're completely right," she said, using her hands to emphasize her point, "this would be great for the department and after the last couple of weeks with that double homicide, a break wouldn't be the worst thing in the world." She smiled her lopsided grin that she was known for as the man patted her hand before turning around and heading back for the door.

"Fantastic! I'll have Grace coordinate your travel arrangements," he said as he headed out the door, closing it on his way out. Holly took a deep breath, and closed her eyes. '_Toronto'_, she thought to herself. She pulled her phone out to text Rachel and Lisa, letting them know she would be in town. Her finger hovered above the police officer's name as she tried to decide whether to contact the woman or not. Her stomach turned and the knot in her throat became too large to swallow. '_Fuck'_, she thought as she exited the screen and locked her phone, throwing it on the chair in the corner of her office.

She started pacing her office, trying to decide whether to text Gail or leave it alone. See the woman, or _not_ have her heart ripped into pieces when she would inevitably have to say goodbye, again. The last time had been hard enough, and she wasn't sure she could go through that again.

Her rambling thoughts were interrupted by her office phone ringing. Once more, like she had numerous times already this morning, Holly took a deep breath and answered the phone as she sat back down at her desk.

"Dr. Holly Stewart," she answered, a little exasperated.

"Holly, the stress in your voice in practically seeping through the phone," the voice on the other end said. Holly recognized it right away, and forced a smile on her face.

"It's good to hear your voice too, Rachel. I know that's what you really meant to say." Holly leaned back in her chair, visibly relaxing after hearing the sound of her friend's voice.

"Well, I can't help but notice that you sound like you're sifting your way through a shit pile, Holly. Is everything okay?"

"Yes, everything's fine. It's just, now I'm stressed about this conference in Toronto and-"

"You're worried about seeing Gail…" Holly paused, not expecting her friend to be as blunt as she was.

"Er...well...ugh, _yes_. Every part of me wants to see her, but I can't go through the 'goodbye' part again, Rach. That part is just _too_ much." Holly teared up at the thought of it. She remembered saying goodbye after her impromptu visit months ago and how she couldn't sleep for weeks afterwards, missing everything about Gail Peck. Because of this, the two had decided it was best to not keep in contact. It was too hard on the both of them to pretend like they could be friends or be okay with a long distance relationship.

"Holly, I'm going to give you a dose of tough love because you're my best friend and I care about you, okay?" When Holly didn't say anything, Rachel took it as her cue to continue. "I know you love Gail, and I'd be willing to bet that Gail loves you as well. But you know what? You're not going to Toronto just to see Gail. You're going for a medical conference. For your _career_, Holly. This isn't about love or rekindling love or fretting about whether you might run into her. This is about you and everything you've worked so hard for." Holly sighed. She knew her friend was right, but she still just didn't know what to say.

"I know, Rach. I always try to remember why I came all the way out here and you know my career is everything to me. But-"

"No, Holly, no 'buts'. You _have_ to stop doing this to yourself. _Focus_. Focus on the conference and my beautiful face when you take me out to dinner." Holly sneered at the comment.

"Oh, so _I'm_ the visitor and _I_ have to take _you_ out to dinner? Seems a little messed up…"

"Payback for all of the solid life advice I give you all the time," Rachel countered. Holly couldn't help but smile. Rachel always seemed to know what to say to her when she felt like she couldn't function. "Plus, you're the big wig Chief Medical Examiner now. You've got to be loaded, Dr. Stewart."

"Except that I spend it all on blow and hoes."

"Uh huh, whatever. You're still taking me to dinner." Holly smiled and sighed. She missed having her oldest friends around and the banter that always seemed to pick up right where it left off.

"Fine. As long as there's good wine."

"Knowing you, Holly Stewart, there will be more than enough good wine." Holly noticed her other office line was ringing, so she said goodbye to Rachel, telling her they would make plans once she knew her conference schedule. She hung up and found Grace on the other line, ready to make travel arrangements. Holly sighed. Ready or not, she was heading to Toronto.


	2. Chapter 2

"Great presentation, Dr. Stewart. Absolutely _fascinating_ research and work you've done," a short, balding man said to her as he shook her hand feverishly. Holly had to admit, the presentation had gone exceptionally well. Not that she had doubted herself before hand; Holly knew the material inside and out, and if they wanted her to speak so badly at the event, she knew her audience would be all-ears for what she had to say.

The man rambling in front of her was the last in a long line of miscellaneous people to share their regards with the popular doctor after the presentation had finished. Try as she might, she just couldn't pay attention to a single word the man was saying. His story was the last of what seemed like hundreds of stories about this and that, how each person solved this particular case, and it was mentally exhausting listening to them all. She simply nodded her head, pretending to listen to his story, when something out of the corner of her eye caught her attention. Another large group of people had formed a circle around someone she couldn't see. They were all smiling and laughing cordially, and when one man left the group, she saw who was at the center of attention and her stomach dropped.

_Elaine Peck_.

Holly suddenly felt extremely uncomfortable and her mind was racing a thousand miles a second. What was Elaine Peck, Superintendent of the Toronto Metropolitan Police, doing at a Medical Examiner's conference? Was something wrong? Had something happened in one of the other conference rooms? Certainly not, given the smiles and 'relaxed' (for Elaine Peck) feeling she and the rest of the men and women around her seemed to radiate. Nothing about the woman's presence made sense to the doctor.

She politely excused herself from the rambling man and quickly made her way to the door, seeing her exit and wanting nothing more than to escape the presence of the Superintendent. She was almost successful, until a hand on her shoulder stopped her dead in her tracks.

"Dr. Stewart," the voice said. Holly closed her eyes briefly before turning around to the face the familiar authoritative woman in front of her.

"Superintendent Peck," she said, extending her hand out of habit. "I have to admit, I'm a _little_ surprised to see you here at the conference." Holly reminded herself to stay calm and confident in front of the woman, or else she would be eaten alive. She and Gail had managed to escape all Peck family dinners while she was still in Toronto, but several brief meetings with the woman at the morgue and stories from everyone in the lab and the department was enough for Holly to know how the woman preyed on the weak.

"Well, Dr. Stewart I must admit the medical field is not my first area of expertise, but I'm not here on my own personal accord," she said, eyeing the doctor and looking for any signs the brunette might be uncomfortable. When Holly simply nodded her head slowly, not breaking eye contact, Elaine continued. "I'm here to discuss a proposition on the behalf of the department. I was hoping you would be available for dinner tonight to discuss the details."

Dinner. With Elaine Peck. _Alone_. Holly wanted nothing more than to run in the opposite direction at just the thought of a meal with the Superintendent, but she honestly was fairly curious about this "proposition" and what all it entailed. She quickly pulled out her daily planner, briefly remembering how much shit Gail had given her for having an actual planner, and checked the events she was scheduled for.

"It looks like I'm free until tomorrow morning. Dinner will work." A smile crept onto Elaine's face.

"Fantastic. I've already made reservations at Scaramouche for 6:00." Holly glanced at her watch and saw it was just after 3:30. Elaine noticed the gesture and raised her brows. "Will that work, Dr. Stewart?" Holly looked up and simply smiled then answered.

"6:00 will be perfect."

"Do you need a car to come and get you? The restaurant is quite a ways from your hotel." Holly smiled, knowing she should have expected Elaine to do a little digging. She couldn't help but wonder what else Elaine knew about her, about her life. She tried pushing the terrifying thought out of her mind before answering.

"That would be great, Superintendent." Elaine smiled, but Holly could see the darker side of Elaine hiding behind her eyes, plotting her next move and the fact that Holly had no idea what this 'proposition' entailed scared her a little bit.

"I'll see you at 6." She shook Holly's hand, and disappeared into the crowd that had gathered outside one of the conference rooms. The brunette took a deep breath, realizing she felt like she had been holding it during the entire conversation with the matriarch of the Peck family. Everything in Holly hoped that Elaine wouldn't enlighten Gail of her time in Toronto, but she knew better than to make demands with the woman. All she could do was sigh and head for the front door and back to her hotel room.

This was going to be a long night.

"I think you'll find the lamb to be absolutely _exquisite_, Dr. Stewart," Elaine said as their waiter headed back to the kitchen with their dinner orders. Holly wasn't surprised in the least that Elaine had chosen one of the best contemporary-French restaurants in the city for this supposed 'business proposition meeting', but one look at the prices on the menu told Holly the woman was serious about whatever the topic of conversation was tonight.

Holly had been nervous, which was rare for the usually-cool and collected doctor. Ever since the car picked her up from the hotel, her mind had been running through scenarios of how the evening would play out. She had to remind herself that over thinking anything in the presence of Elaine Peck was, indeed, a big no-no, and thus, she focused on composing herself. She was just the Superintendent, right?

"So, Dr. Stewart, I'm sure you're wondering what this is all about?" she asked, leaving the question very open-ended.

"I'm quite curious, yes," Holly answered, trying not to sound overly-curious, but enough to let the woman know that she was invested in whatever this dinner was about. She sounded confident, and she knew that was key when dealing with Elaine.

"I won't beat around the bush, but let me start by giving you a little background information," she said, folding the napkin on her lap, creasing and smoothing out the edges before continuing. "When you left for San Francisco, we knew as a department it would be hard to find a replacement with as much skill and precision as you had shown in your work. It seemed like a fairly daunting task until our own CME recommended someone who appeared to be a good fit. Which, he was and the department always had nothing but good things to say about him." Elaine paused to look at Holly, who was staring back intently, nodding her head.

"But?" Holly asked, breaking the silence and narrowing her eyes just a touch.

"I have reason to believe the reports are not completely accurate, and the work may not have been clean, if you understand what I'm saying." Elaine's face tightened, and Holly could see the anger and disappointment in her eyes. Elaine lived for her work and for the department, and knew the mere inkling of a controversy within the department could set the Superintendent on a tirade.

Holly nodded, understanding the gravity of the situation Elaine was laying out in front of her. "And you want me to-"

"I'm asking you to look over a set of reports from three different murders that have taken place in the last month. All from the same group of dealers and kingpin, all of which strike me as suspect," she said, cutting Holly off. The brunette studied the woman across from her, and there wasn't a crack in the calculated facade.

"Superintendent, I would be honored and more than happy to look over the reports, but I don't know if I have the time to truly dedicate to them before I head back to San Francisco." Holly made sure not to sound threatened or worried, but rather confident in the task at hand and how much time it would take to dissect three different murder cases.

"I've already spoken with Chief Simmons about extending your time here in Toronto. When I explained the circumstances, he was more than happy to oblige." Now Holly was a little stunned. The woman had gone so far as to talk with her boss, _before_ she had even asked Holly to look over the reports? The brunette wasn't sure what to make of this particular situation, but she knew there was no other choice than to say yes.

"In that case, I'm all ears," she said, showing her lopsided grin that immediately put a smile on Elaine's face.

"Fantastic. The department will pay for your hotel while you're here and any other expenses you find yourself needing." The women were interrupted by the waiter bringing out their first course, and Holly had never been so thankful for the repreve of food in her entire life. She needed a minute to collect her thoughts and what this whole situation meant.

Over the course of dinner, Elaine informed Holly what had transpired over the last month and how each case had closed with a determination of inter-gang violence, meaning these murders were being performed as inside jobs. As Holly listened to what the Superintendent was telling her, red flags shot up in her mind, and she was actually anxious to get her hands on the reports and try to piece them together.

As they were headed for the doorway, Holly finally decided that she needed Elaine to know she didn't want to see Gail. She knew making demands normally wasn't in her best interest, but after careful consideration, she knew this instance was different.

"Elaine, before I go, I need to ask something of you," she said. The woman stopped and looked at her, waiting to hear what Holly had to say. "I don't want Gail knowing I'm here. I mean, I realize she might have been involved in these cases, but seeing her...I just don't want to be distracted or jeopardize these cases. This is as important to me as it is to you, and I want my full attention on finding what's missing." Holly stood firm, waiting for Elaine to say something. The woman seemed to consider the favor Holly had asked of her, and after a moment of consideration, she extended her hand out to the brunette.

"I agree, Dr. Stewart. This is the best course of action. This whole proposition is very hush-hush, so you shouldn't be bothered by anyone and if there's any questions that arise, you can direct them to me." Holly shook the woman's hand and they parted ways, the brunette with the case files in hand, ready to dissect.

When Holly returned back to her hotel, she knew instantly that she needed a bottle of wine. She only had sparkling water at dinner, afraid to drink around the judgemental Elaine Peck. The brunette stopped at the bar that was attached to the lobby, and pleaded with the bartender to sell her an entire bottle of wine. $100 and many "please" and "thank you's" later, Holly was back in her room with an open bottle of barolo wine. The case files were scattered about the bed as the doctor tried to piece them together when there was a hard knock on the door.

She looked at the clock on the nightstand, which read 11:23pm, and wondered who on earth would be at her hotel this late. The brunette quickly shuffled the papers back into their respective folders before looking through the glass hole in the door, shocked to see who was waiting outside.

Steve Peck.

He looked annoyed, standing there with his hands in his pockets, shifting his weight from foot to foot. The red-head looked around the hallway and knocked again, and this time, Holly knew she had to answer.

"Detective Peck," she said, opening the door and brushing a piece of loose hair from her face. "Is there something I can help you with? Did your mother send you here?" He opened his mouth to speak, but a figure came unannounced from his right and interrupted him.

"Hey, Lunchbox," the blonde said, grinning from ear-to-ear.


	3. Chapter 3

"Um...hi?" Holly said questioningly, still shocked to see not only one Peck, but both Peck siblings staring back at her. "What is going on?" she asked, not moving or making any indication they would be invited inside. "What are you two doing here?"

"Well, _I'm_ only here to get you to answer the door," Steve started, as Holly just tilted her head and stared back at him, wondering what he was implying. "Gail knew if you saw her standing outside your door, you wouldn't answer." Holly nodded slowly, knowing Gail was right. When they were together and Gail stayed at her place, the blonde had always insisted on checking the door viewer before even _thinking_ about opening the door. Gail knew Holly too well, _still_ knew her and what Holly's next move would most likely be.

"So basically, my work here is done and I'm going home. Nice to see you, Holly," Steve said, nodding in her direction before turning to his sister standing next to him. "Gail, I swear to God if you scratch my car, I'll-"

"Steve, I won't scratch your car. Go away," Gail spat at her brother. He smiled at Holly before turning on his heel and walking down the hallway. Holly was still dumbfounded and frozen in place with Gail staring back at her.

"Soooo," Gail said, dragging out the 'o', looking somewhat uncomfortable, "can I come in or-"

"How did you find me, Gail?" Holly said, cutting the blonde off. Her voice was tense and she still hadn't budged from the door.

"_Wow_, okay we're not messing around here," the blonde started, glancing back at Holly, only to see hurt behind the dark brown eyes. "I was on patrol and drove by the nerd convention and-"

"Medical conference," Holly interjected, catching Gail off guard. "It's a _medial conference_, Gail." The brunette could see the vulnerability start to creep into Gail and waited for the blonde's walls to come up.

"Okay..._medical conference_. Anyways, I drove by and noticed it, so I did a little investigating and saw that you were presenting and…." Gail paused and slowly ran her tongue over her bottom lip, trying to find the right words. Holly waited and tried to remind herself to keep her own walls up, not to let the blonde pull at her heart strings like she always did. "Why didn't you tell me you were in town?" Gail asked quietly. The question caught Holly a little off guard, and she didn't immediately know how to answer.

"Gail," she started, tilting her head and making sure to lock eyes onto the blonde in front of her. "You _know_ why. I just...I couldn't. It's too hard to see you for only a few days then go back to San Francisco and not have you with me. I couldn't sleep for weeks after the last time I was here," she said, blushing at her own embarrassing admission. Holly had always prided herself on being independent and career focused, and the fact that one person had so much influence on her heart and happiness was hard for the doctor to deal with.

Gail nodded, and Holly could see her eyes start to glass over, tears imminent behind the striking blue eyes. There was an awkward silence as both women tried to figure out what was next. Holly could feel her walls start to crack, and she wanted nothing more than to invite the woman inside, but her brain got the better of her heart.

"Listen, Gail I'm sorry. I have an early morning tomorrow and still have some things to go over-" Gail put her hand up, motioning for the brunette to stop talking.

"I get it," she said, shoving her hands deep in her pockets. She glanced down the hallway, then closed her eyes briefly before continuing. "Goodnight, Holly," she said, giving the doctor a brief but sad smile, and turned to walk down the hallway.

Holly could practically feel her heart breaking into tiny little pieces, yet again, as she watched the blonde walk down the hallway towards the elevator, and stepped back into the hotel room, closing the door behind her. She fought back the impending tears that had built up during the excruciating conversation with the woman she loved, and only let a single tear fall down her cheek.

She was brought back to reality by checking her email and seeing a particular message from Elaine Peck, who was leaving her contact information in case Holly had any questions. '_Focus_,' Holly reminded herself. She was here for the medical conference and now this case review, _not_ for Gail. She was _not_ here to try and rekindle the love she so desperately missed. She was here on business, not pleasure, right?

_Right_.

"Gerald, I swear to God if you pull out that phone _one_ more time, I will break it in half with my two bare hands and shove it _so far_ up your-"

"Peck!" Oliver yelled as he walked towards the blonde, cutting her off from threatening the rookie any further.

"Yes, Sergeant Shaw?" Gail said sarcastically, forcing her best fake smile towards the older man. He simply smiled at her for more than a second before turning his attention to the rookie.

"Officer Moore, would you kindly give Officer Peck and I a minute alone?" The rookie complied with a simple nod, and when he was safely out of hearing distance, Oliver returned his attention back to the blonde officer before him.

"Oliver, before you say anything, he had his phone out _again_ and someone has to set him straight!" Gail protested. Oliver continued to smile, trying to encourage the blonde to settle down.

"The rookie is not who I'm worried about," he said, his smile starting to fade. "What's going on, Peck?"

"Nothing," was all that came out of Gail's mouth. She shrugged and stared back at Oliver who was still giving her a concerned look. He pursed his lips and nodded a few times before continuing.

"Don't take this the wrong way, darling, but you look like hell. And I only say that because I care about you and while you're petulant on a good day, screaming at the rookie in the middle of 15 is not the Gail Peck I know and love." She could see nothing but compassion behind Oliver's eyes, and tried her best not to crumble in front of him. She had worked on expressing her feelings over the last few months, trying to grow up and talk about how she felt instead of constantly building walls.

"Holly's in town," she said, sighing and avoiding eye contact by pretending to see something behind Oliver. He didn't fall for it though, and simply looked at the woman in front of him, watching her try not to show the hurt she was feeling inside. "And she," Gail paused, closing her eyes to stop the tears that were now seemingly imminent, "she doesn't want to see me," she finished, forcing a sad smile before looking down at the floor.

"Hey," Oliver said, grabbing the blonde by her shoulders and forcing her to look up at him, "why don't you take a personal day, yeah? I think it's what you need. You obviously didn't sleep last night and I can't have a sleep deprived Peck on the streets, okay?" Gail looked back at him skeptically, but knew he was right. After spending the entire night crying her eyes out and drinking her fair share of bourbon, she was in no shape to be policing. She simply nodded, thanked Oliver, and headed back to the locker room.

There was a tiny ounce of hope within Gail that she would see a text from Holly when she pulled her phone out of her pocket, but was only even more disappointed than she was before when there was a reminder alarm of the monthly Peck family dinner later in the evening. The blonde groaned and considered calling her mother to say she had the flu and couldn't come, but after ditching the last two dinners, she knew it would be impossible. Instead, she changed out of her uniform, back into her skinny jeans, combat boots and knee-length jacket and headed for her car, hoping she could sleep before the dreaded dinner.

She didn't even make it out of 15 before her phone was ringing with a call from her mother. Another groan escaped her lips before answering the phone.

"Don't worry mother, I haven't forgotten about dinner tonight," she answered, not even saying 'hello' first.

"Hello to you too, darling daughter," her mother countered, audibly annoyed with the blonde. "I'm calling to tell you dinner is postponed tonight. Something has come up at work and I'm going to be here late," Elaine said. Gail was shocked. Peck family dinners were rarely rescheduled.

"I...uh...okay?" was all Gail could manage.

"Gail, please learn to use your words more _eloquently_. I'll email you once we find a time to reschedule the dinner." Gail rolled her eyes and ended the phone call, knowing her mother was too busy for any sort of normal 'goodbye'. But it didn't stop the blonde's curiosity from thinking of what could possibly be more important than the family dinner.

Holly was already seated at the table when Elaine arrived. She could see the woman enter the front doors with her classic 'Elaine smile', greeting the host and motioning towards Holly's table. The doctor got up, and extended her hand once the Superintendent had reached her seat.

"Thank you for meeting me on such short notice, Superintendent," Holly said, trying to shake the nerves that always seemed to be present when she was around Elaine.

"I just had to move a few things around. The children will certainly be happy with the postponement of the monthly family dinner," she said, eyeing Holly carefully and looking for signs of weakness at the mention of her daughter. The doctor stood firm and continued to smile back at the older woman.

"Well, I thought this was important. I've been spending a lot of time reading over these cases, and I think you're right. Something's definitely….fishy about them," Holly said, pausing as their waitress stopped at the table for their drink orders. Once she was out of hearing distance, Holly continued. "What do we know about the detectives that worked these cases?"

"Excellent officers and detectives," Elaine started, taking a sip of water before she continued. "Both have received accommodations, have great reputations in the department. I would be absolutely shocked if they have tampered with these cases," she stated confidently. Holly nodded thinking about what Elaine had told her.

"It's just that these cases are all so similar to each other. I mean, almost _exactly_ the same. Everything seems to have been done correctly and in order, but it's too similar," the doctor noted, thinking of the details of the case. "The killer was never found in any of the cases; not enough DNA on or around the body, bullet casings couldn't be traced to a weapon, the victims were all shot in the back of the head at the brainstem, killing them instantly. I mean, I know gang-related shooting deaths usually come up empty-handed, but three within a month is suspect to me. It's almost as if there's someone working on the inside for the gang." Elaine's face became tight and she stared back at the doctor, considering what was just said.

"What is your recommendation, doctor?"

Holly took a moment to consider the weight of her words and the potential for action behind them, but pressed forward.

"I would personally recommend an internal investigation," she said, trying not to sound nervous. "It's hard to say where these were tampered with, but I'm confident in saying these cases are not clean."

Both women ate in almost utter silence as they both considered what they were about to embark on: an internal investigation of the Toronto Metropolitan Police Department and the Forensics Unit. It also meant that Holly would probably be staying longer, delaying her return back to normalcy in San Francisco.

Holly's 'quick trip' to Toronto had taken an unexpected turn.


	4. Chapter 4

_Okay, I tried to keep this chapter light since the last couple were...difficult. Anyways, I added the names of whoever's point of view/subject for each section is, if that makes sense. If it helps, awesome! If it's distracting or whatever, I can always remove them. _

_As always, reviews are greatly appreciated!_

* * *

><p><em><strong>Gail: <strong>_

_"You seriously don't find it a little weird that mother just up and postponed a Peck family dinner?" Gail asked again, sitting on the edge of Steve's desk as he leaned back in his desk chair, visibly annoyed by the younger sibling._

"Gail, _let it go_. We both know she does whatever she wants to." The blonde wasn't convinced, however.

"Steve, when's the last time a dinner was postponed?" The older Peck looked at his sister, seriously considering the question and jogging his memory.

"Wasn't it-" he stopped dead in his tracks, remembering exactly why the last dinner had been postponed.

"Perik. And, might I add the _only_ reason it was postponed was because they were still in New Zealand. Not because I had been abducted, or anything," Gail spat, remembering the tough love she had received from the Peck matriarch.

"Okay, I get your point but I personally _enjoyed _not having to go last night. Traci and I were actually able to have a night to ourselves for once."

"Must be nice," Gail said, turning her attention to the floor, trying not to show the pain in her chest she was feeling at the thought of being able to spend a night with a loved one.

"Gail," Steve started, sitting up in his chair to try and catch his sister's eyes. "Listen, I'm sorry about Holly, okay? I really am." He grabbed the blonde's forearm, trying to get her to look at him. When she did, he could see her glassy eyes and she quickly released her arm from his grip.

"Yeah, well...whatever. It is what it is," she said, trying to deflect any hint of sadness she was so overwhelmed with.

"I'm proud of you for going over there, you know," he said, catching her attention and forcing her to look at her older brother. "It took a lot of balls and you can never say you didn't try." Gail forced a sad smile, something she was used to doing as of late. While she and her brother never really had a loving relationship, she appreciated how he was trying to help her feel better about the situation.

The pair was interrupted by the sight of Duncan dropping two cups of coffee, one of which was presumed to be for Gail as they started the night shift. The blonde rolled her eyes, jumped off the end of the desk and headed for the door to yell at the rookie. The siblings' Hallmark moment would have to wait.

* * *

><p><em><strong>Holly:<strong>_

"To Holly being back in Toronto," Lisa said as the three women clinked their wine glasses together in the middle of the table. Holly was exhausted after the conference and reviewing more information about the cases, but she knew she couldn't blow her friends off for dinner and had joined them at their favorite Italian restaurant for the night.

"I've missed you guys," the brunette said tiredly, the bags under her eyes showing more than normal.

"We're just glad we were able to pull you away for a night. It looks like you've been pretty busy," Rachel said, eyeing Holly carefully for a response. Holly knew she looked tired, but she didn't care. What she was doing in Toronto was important to her, and if it meant not sleeping, then she was willing to sacrifice. Plus, no sleep meant no opportunities for the blonde officer to appear in her dreams.

"Holly, sweetie," Lisa started, gently grabbing Holly's forearm, "is everything okay? I mean, I know you've been busy, but you look..._stressed_," she said, looking over to Rachel for confirmation.

"You saw Gail, didn't you?" Rachel asked quickly, hoping Holly wouldn't get upset. The brunette took a deep breath and a long sip of wine before she answered.

"She came to my hotel room the other night," Holly said, remembering how her heart jumped in her throat at the very sight of the blonde officer. "And I was _such_ a bitch." Lisa and Rachel looked at each other, confused and unsure of how to proceed.

"What...happened?" Lisa asked cautiously.

"She figured out that I was in town for the conference, so she tracked me down and came to my hotel room, but I just completely shut her out. I mean, I didn't even let her _in_," Holly said, scoffing at the memory of her own behavior. "I just stood there and told her I was busy, and basically forced her to leave," she said, taking another sip of wine and fighting back tears.

"Hol, remember what we talked about before you came out here?" Rachel waited until Holly finally looked at her before she continued. "You're here for work, sweetie. This trip is about _you_. Not about Gail." Lisa nodded in agreement, but Holly didn't seem satisfied.

"That's just it though," the brunette said, circling the rim of her wine glass with the tip of her index finger, "Gail _is_ apart of me. I don't feel like myself unless I'm with her, and I _hate _to admit that," she said as a single tear fell down her cheek. Lisa and Rachel looked at each other in silence as Holly continued. "My life in San Francisco should be perfect. I have my dream job and I live in such an incredible city, but there's this nagging feeling I have in the pit of my stomach day in and day out that something's missing." Holly paused, trying to collect her thoughts. "I'm so incredibly in love with Gail and I don't know how to live without her," she said, the tears finally streaming down her cheeks at her own admission. Holly had never been so candid and open with her friends, but saying the words out loud felt like a weight had been lifted off her shoulders and she could finally breathe again.

Lisa and Rachel just kept looking at each other, unsure of what to say to their friend who was falling apart in front of their eyes. They rubbed her back and her forearm as she continued to let the tears fall down her cheeks.

"I've...I've never seen you like this, Hols," Rachel said, breaking the silence that had grown between them.

"That's because I've never felt this way," the brunette replied, looking up and giving her friends the best smile she could muster, but she wasn't fooling anyone.

"Listen, I'm really sorry but I need to go," Holly said suddenly, wiping the tears with her dinner napkin. "I'll call you both tomorrow and we can reschedule, okay? I just...I can't do this tonight," she said, getting up out of her seat. Her two friends gave her the best hugs they could, and watched her walk out the door into the dark Toronto night.

* * *

><p>"<em>Seriously<em>?! Not even two hours into this shift and I've got vomit all over my uniform!" Gail yelled from booking as the drunk homeless man she apprehended sat in one of the cells, barely able to sit up straight on his own. The blonde officer fumed inside as she gave the booking officer the man's information while Duncan kept his distance, visibly gagging over the smell of the vomit on his TO. Gail realized he was all the way across the room, and when she saw him gagging out of the corner of her eye, she had had enough.

"Officer Duncan Moore," she said slowly, startling everyone by using the rookie's actual name, "would you mind growing a pair and gracing us with your presence over here?" she asked, narrowing her eyes to let the rookie know just how pissed off she was. "Why don't you give them the details of what happened while I go and get a new uniform, if you think that you can handle that simple task," she spat again as he hurried over, his cheeks reddening by the second.

"Ye-yes, ma'am," he stuttered, causing Gail to roll her eyes.

"Get your shit together, Moore," she whispered as she made her way towards the door exiting to the hallway. When she saw two figures talking at the end of the corridor, she stopped dead in her tracks.

"Peck!" Oliver called, smiling before noticing her current state of affairs. "Hey, you've got a little something on your uniform," he joked as she made her way over to him apprehensively as he stood next to a nervous-looking Holly.

"What's going on?" Gail asked, looking at Holly and Oliver, feeling her heart pounding in her chest. "Is everything okay?"

"Yes, I-well I just wanted to talk and apologize for the other night so I just came here looking for you and then I saw Oliver and we got to talking and he said you were working the night shift and I just…" Holly stopped herself, realizing she was rambling and noticed a small smile creep onto Gail's face. Oliver took notice and cleared his throat before speaking.

"Holly, I'm sure Gail could use a hand getting cleaned up," he said, placing a comforting hand on Holly's shoulder. "I'll go make sure your rookie isn't screwing anything up," he said playfully, winking at Gail. He headed down the hallway towards booking, looking back over his shoulder once with his genuine Oliver-smile.

"I'm sorry, I should have called first," Holly said, following Gail towards the locker room. "I just didn't know if you would answer after the way I treated you the other night," she continued, looking into Gail's eyes as the blonde turned around to look at her once they were out of the hallway and had some privacy.

"Holly, you don't have to apologize," Gail started, but Holly interrupted her almost immediately.

"Gail, yes I do," she said, pushing her glasses back up the bridge of her nose. "I've been trying so hard to live my life without you in San Francisco, trying to convince myself that I'm happy. And when this conference came up and I was asked to attend, I almost said no because I had to be honest with myself about how _unhappy_ I am," she said, pausing to try and bring her racing heartbeat back down to normal. "When I saw you the other night, I was reminded that I'm _not_ happy without you in my life and I've never felt that way about someone before, Gail. It's absolutely terrifying, but it's true."

She stopped again, taking a minute to look at the blonde's blue eyes, remembering how easy it was to stare and get lost in them. Gail looked back, licking her suddenly dry lips and trying to formulate words.

"I don't know what to say, Holly," was all that she could muster. Holly looked back sympathetically, seeing the hurt behind the blue eyes.

"You don't have to say anything, Gail. I just wanted to tell you that I'm sorry. I mean, we tell each other stuff, right?" she said, giving the officer her signature lopsided grin that immediately made Gail smile back. The blonde grabbed the doctor's hand, squeezing it and instantaneously feeling the familiar electricity running through her body. Holly felt it too, and she stepped towards Gail, only to have the officer stop her.

"Wait," the blonde said, putting her free hand on Holly's chest, stopping her. "I...I have vomit all over me," she said, giggling at her realization. Holly broke into her lopsided grin and started to walk around the blonde.

"Here, let me help you," she said, unclipping the radio and beginning to pull the velcro of the officer's vest as she moved to stand behind her. The movement caused Gail's heart to skip a beat and she closed her eyes at the very touch of the doctor, even through the fabric of her uniform. Once the vest had been discarded on the floor, Gail took her duty belt off, making sure the safety of her gun was on before leaving it on the floor, and she turned around to see Holly smiling, a sight she had missed too much.

Gail did a once-over on the rest of her uniform, making sure there wasn't any other bits of vomit before she grabbed Holly's face and kissed her, much like the doctor had done many months before in the interrogation room.

Holly's hands immediately found Gail's hips and raced to untuck the uniform shirt, desperate to find the soft skin of the blonde's lower back. When she did, Gail gasped at the familiar and missed feeling of Holly's touch and immediately rocked into Holly's body. The blonde's hands were lost in the doctor's brunette locks as their lips crashed together, tongues finding each other in familiarity.

"Peck, what's your 20?" the radio cracked, startling them both. Gail leaned back to look at Holly's brown eyes before she rested her forehead against Holly's.

"You've got to be kidding me," Gail whispered, cursing the rookie on the other end of the radio. Holly smiled and kissed Gail's cheek.

"I don't want to keep you from work," Holly started, running her hands up Gail's side, causing the blonde's breathing to hitch and close her eyes.

"I'm sorry, but I have to get back to babysitting that idiot," the blonde said as she cupped Holly's face with her hands. "How about I come by the hotel in the morning? I think we should talk." Holly continued to smile at the officer in front of her.

"That sounds perfect and yes, we really need to talk." Gail gave her a look of concern, and Holly kissed her, trying her best to reassure the blonde. "It's not a bad talk, Gail. Just be safe tonight, okay? I'll be waiting for you in the morning," she said, smiling seductively as she moved towards the door, glancing over her shoulder for one last smile as she reached the locker room doors. All Gail could do was grin and try to gather her things, attempting to bring her heart rate down to a normal rhythm.

* * *

><p><em><strong>Holly:<strong>_

Holly couldn't help the smile that beamed from ear to ear as she reached her hotel. All of the turmoil and guilt she felt about how she treated Gail a couple of nights before evaporated, and she was left with a feeling of hope, something she hadn't felt in a very long time.

Now she just had to explain to the blonde why her stay would be extended, and hoped she wouldn't be mad that she hadn't told her in the first place.

As she walked in the front entrance of the hotel, the concierge at the desk flagged her down, smiling as he showcased a large bouquet of flowers.

"Dr. Stewart? A delivery came for you while you were out," he said, visibly excited for the brunette. Holly seemed a little confused, but took the flowers and thanked him before walking towards the elevators. There was no way Gail would be able to get her flowers that quickly, and she highly doubted her friends would send her anything after leaving dinner so abruptly. She entered the elevator and almost dropped the vase when she read the note that was attached.

With a racing heart, she stopped the elevator a floor before her own and was barely able to dial Elaine's number with her trembling hands.

"Superintendent, it's Dr. Stewart. Are you available to meet? We have a problem."


End file.
